


all that matters

by grootmorning



Category: Marvel, The Punisher (TV 2017)
Genre: F/M, Inspired by a Trailer, Not Canon Compliant, Post-Canon, i took it a little further, just in case, non-platonic face touching
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-20
Updated: 2017-10-20
Packaged: 2019-01-20 01:50:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 698
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12422547
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/grootmorning/pseuds/grootmorning
Summary: inspired by that kastle moment in the trailers and going a little bit further





	all that matters

The ringing in her ears wouldn't stop. Karen squeezed her eyes harder, willing the noise to go away. The air she inhaled burned her nose and she coughed, hard.

A weight fell across her shoulders and Karen raised a hand to try and push it off.

Why was she on the ground?

The weight wouldn't budge. Karen's hand was so heavy and she rolled onto her back slowly. A thick layer of oppressing heat lay over her. Karen remembered something about an explosion.

Someone came for her. 

The ringing in her ears lessened, and the weight across her shook her a little.

"Ma'am, wake up."

The voice was so familiar. She knew it from somewhere. Her hand dropped onto the weight. It was warm, and soft, and she gripped it hard for some comfort. She was in an explosion.

"Ma'am."

It was easier to just drift, and maybe slip under to go back to sleep. Karen was so tired. Her whole body ached. There was a sharp pain lancing up her leg that made her want to curl up into a ball and will it to go away. Pain was becoming a constant presence in her life. Ever since -

"Karen!"

The rough yell jolted her back to her senses, and she turned to face Frank. She knew he'd come to protect her.

"Frank," she sighed out. "What happened?"

His hand left her shoulder, threading his fingers through her hand to hold her jaw gently and turn her face towards him. A thumb brushed across her cheek, sweeping dust and soot away from her skin. Frank had a passing thought that Karen should never have been in this situation, to be covered in dirt and grime from an explosion. It was unnatural. Burying the thought deep down, he checked her over for injury, eyes methodically going from face to arms to legs.

Frank snarled at the deep gash in her leg where the glass shard was. 

Karen raised the hand on the floor to grip at Frank's shirt, using it to pull herself up. His hand dropped from her face, and Karen briefly closed her eyes at the loss of it. But then her grip tightened and she winced as the movement jarred her leg. She stared wide eyed at the glass sticking out of her calf even as Frank's hand went to her back to steady her.

"Well, fuck."

"We're going to have to take it out." Frank was already ripping up a piece of cloth nearby, before lifting her leg slowly into his lap and straightening her calf the best he could without driving the glass shard in further. Karen twisted her hand in Frank's shirt, resting her forehead against her fist. On an ordinary day, she would have told Frank to just yank it out and stop pissing about. But it had been a really long day and Karen was so tired. The cloth wrapped around his hand was already stained with her blood.

She nodded, and fought down a scream as Frank gripped her tightly and pulled at the same time.

He quickly bandaged it up before lifting her up to her feet. "We gotta go." Frank eyed her worriedly, watching her test her weight out between both legs. "You gonna walk or let me carry you?"

Karen felt nervous laughter bubble up within her and she stopped it before it turned hysterical. Oh, she'll think about Frank asking to carry her for days to come. But not now. "I'll walk."

Frank nodded, one hand going for the gun in his boot, the other wrapping securely around her waist to secure her place next to him.

Karen took a deep breath, readying herself for what was to come. She didn't think there was much blood loss, but a lazy haze was beginning to cloud her mind.

"You called me Karen."

Frank looked at her, eyes dark and full of emotion. He pulled her closer and rested his forehead on hers, closing his eyes. A short harsh breath escaped him. Karen understood. He'd thought she wasn't coming back. 

Pulling back, Frank shot her a fierce smile tinged with blood.

And they charged through the smoke. Together.

**Author's Note:**

> come yell at me or with me!
> 
> tumblr: [here](http://ltfrankcastle.tumblr.com)  
> twitter: [here](http://twitter.com/ltfrankcastie)


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